The 2025-26 college football season is almost here, and the Big 12 Conference football odds are up for all to see. That means you can officially start conversing over who is most or least likely to win the conference and Big 12 title game – or who you should bet on to do so.

The Arizona State Sun Devils finished first in the conference and coasted to a win in the championship game, so the big question is if they’ll do it again. Last year’s strong season allowed them to make a run to the College Football Playoffs, where they bowed out in a shootout with the Texas Longhorns in the second round.

Early Big 12 odds suggest it’s not Utah’s conference to lose, but it’s a new season, and with everyone starting off at 0-0, literally anyone can make a case to be the last one standing in the College Football Championship.

Some are more likely than others, of course, and that applies to the Big 12 itself. Let’s see who is most likely to win this conference in 2025, and how you should bet this year.

What Teams Are In The Big 12 Conference?

• Baylor Bears: joined in 1996
• Iowa State Cyclones: joined in 1996
• Kansas Jayhawks: joined in 1996
• Kansas State Wildcats: joined in 1996
• Oklahoma State Cowboys: joined in 1996
• Texas Tech Red Raiders: joined in 1996
• TCU Horned Frogs: joined in 2012
• West Virginia Mountaineers: joined in 2012
• BYU Cougars: joined in 2023
• Houston Cougars: joined in 2023
• UCF Knights: joined in 2023
•  Cincinnati Bearcats: joined 2023
• Arizona Wildcats: joined in 2024
• Arizona State Sun Devils: joined in 2024
• Colorado Buffaloes: joined in 2024
• Utah Utes: joined in 2024

When Is The Big 12 Championship Football Game? 

This year’s Big 12 title game will be played on Saturday, December 7th, 2025. The game will be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Big 12 Conference Odds

Check out the latest NCAAF odds for the Big 12 Conference, courtesy of the top sports betting sites:

The early Big 12 Conference football odds do not favor the defending champions. Something about losing stud running back Cam Skattebo, or something? Point being, the Sun Devils had an amazing 2024 and hey, perhaps 2025 is good as well, but right now the oddsmakers aren’t betting on it.

Instead, the Utah Utes are in the driver’s seat to win the conference, with the Texas Tech Red Raiders looking like their biggest challenger. Of course, this conference is admittedly fairly wide open, as there was a three-way tie at 7-3 last year and four of the teams in the Big 12 ended the year ranked inside the Top 25.

None of this means a thing when it comes to predicting who will win the Big 12, but it does mean that this conference – one featuring 16 squads – is mega stacked. Arizona State will try to defend their crown, but their plight will not be without some resistance from the field.

Additionally, if you need any further assistance with your Big 12 College Football bets, or any NCAAF wager, then check out the industry’s premiere betting membership and gain access to thousands of picks from the best handicappers.

Smash You NCAAF Bets
With The Industry’s Best

Handicapping Membership

Get Free Trial

Big 12 Conference Favorites

The following College Football teams are considered the favorites to win the Big 12 Conference: 

Utah Utes (+475)

Last year what we thought would happen inside the Big 12, well, didn’t. In fact, it was almost the complete opposite. Should that give bettors trepidation when betting on the suddenly favored Utes? Probably.

It isn’t just that this team was 5-7 in the Big 12 a year ago, but it’s also that we’re hanging quite a lot on new offensive coordinator Jason Beck and star transfer quarterback, Devon Dampier. 

Of course, Dampier might just be the real deal. He certainly has to clean some things up as a passer, but he piled up an insane 1,166 rushing yards and 19 scores on the ground at New Mexico in 2024. If the passing can come anywhere close to matching that, Utah could be one heck of an offensive squad this year.

We already know the Utes can play defense. If their offense returns to the type of dynamo it’s been in the past, Utah could dream bigger than just the Big 12 title.

Texas Tech Red Raiders (+550)

Before you go betting your house on the Utes, let’s take a breath and keep in mind that this conference remains extremely stacked. Right behind Utah are the pesky Red Raiders, who are routinely in or winning tight games, and brought in a haul of a transfer class this off-season.

Huge names are coming into town to (maybe) save the day, with USC stud running back Quinten Joyner and Miami wide receiver Reggie Virgil lending their explosive play to an offense that was already on fire (4th in scoring) last year.

They key will be whether quarterback Behren Morton can take things to the next level, and if their 113th ranked defense can pick up some of the slack. The Red Raiders have the framework of a special squad, albeit a currently unproven and imbalanced one.

Kansas State Wildcats (+600)

There’s also the Kansas State Wildcats, who were better overall than both the aforementioned teams last year, but slightly worse than Texas Tech within the Big 12.

Kansas State was still decent (5-4), and ended the year at 9-4. The Wildcats offered up a respectable defense, but a far better offense – and one that could run the ball down your throat.

A star was born in Kansas State’s bowl game, when Dylan Edwards exploded for 196 yards and two scores. He is set to take over for DJ Gidden, who was sensational for Kansas State, but is now in the NFL. Kansas State’s ground game was as good as it gets, though, and with what Edwards showed in his last game of 2024, the Wildcats appear to be in good hands.

Arizona State Sun Devils (+600)

Lastly, let’s not ignore the defending champs. The Arizona State Sun Devils really just got to the Big 12, but they wasted no time in making their presence known, sharing a tie atop the conference, and then crushing the Iowa State Cyclones in the Big 12 championship.

It’s unclear how much of that was due to Skattebo’s explosion in 2024, or if this team really has the coaching and talent to make another run. One thing’s for sure; Arizona State has a gamer in quarterback Sam Leavitt, and his connection with top wideout Jordyn Tyson alone could carry this squad.

Arizona State had one of the more balanced teams in the nation last year, finishing inside the top 31 in both offensive and defensive scoring. If they can simply replace the departed Skattebo effectively, they could still be a real threat to win this whole thing again – if not more.

The Best Big 12 Conference Betting Value

The top contenders are the most legit threats to finish first in the Big 12, but things don’t always go like we think they will. Here are a couple of value bets to consider.

TCU Horned Frogs

How do we ignore TCU when they’re offering solid betting value at their +900 price tag? I know we’re a far ways from the highs of the Gary Patterson era, but this program was 13-2 just a few years ago, and it felt at times like they were getting back there again in 2024.

Seriously, the TCU Horned Frogs were once again rock solid last year, going 9-4 overall and a decent 6-3 within the Big 12. For those keeping score at home, that was one win shy of a tie for first place inside the conference, and that was two wins less than the best teams in the Big 12.

TCU was plenty decent last year, and that has everything to do with a 28th ranked scoring offense (32.5 points per game) that could sling it all over the field. Josh Hoover has picked up the torch for stellar TCU quarterback play, and is coming off of a brilliant 2024 campaign where he put up nearly 4,000 passing yards and 27 scores.

Now entering his third year on the job, Hoover should be even better in 2025, and that has to have the rest of the Big 12 worried about TCU’s ceiling. If they were already scorching the earth last year while figuring things out on the fly, how far can they soar this year?

Iowa State Cyclones

I have to tip the cap to the Iowa State Cyclones as well, seeing as they did tie for first place in the Big 12 in 2024, and ultimately played in (and lost) the conference title game.

It wasn’t close, either, but the Cyclones at least proved their worth all season long, generating 31.8 points per game. The Cyclones were not a one-trick pony, either, as they were incredibly dynamic and balanced, with their offense having the ability to kill defenses in a number of ways.

Much like Hoover, Roccho Becht is back for year three in 2025, and he’ll be eager to ditch last year’s meltdown. If he plays up to this potential, he and a talented Cyclones offense may have the goods to work their way back to that big stage yet again.

The Top Big 12 Conference Longshot

There are bigger longshot bets to consider in the Big 12, but the BYU Cougars at +1600 is probably as far as I’d go. I don’t mind rolling the dice, but college football has a ton of turnover and some type of continuity is needed for an educated wager.

BYU was one of the top three teams in this conference last year, going 7-3 in the Big 12 and finishing with a strong 11-2 record overall (better than anyone in the conference). The Cougars were incredibly balanced and flat out elite at both ends, posting one of the nation’s stingiest defenses (18th in scoring), as well as an explosive and consistent offense (30.3 points per game).

The Cougars only gave up 20.3 points per game despite not generating an elite pass rush. If they can fix that element of their defense and up their sack rate, they could be a top 5 unit in 2025.

On offense, there are some questions that need answers. BYU benefited from a balanced ground game, but it’d be helpful if a true star would emerge. More importantly, the program saw star quarterback Jake Retzlaff jump ship for Tulane, so how their quarterback competition unfolds will be crucial to their 2025 success.

The big thing about BYU is we know the framework is there for a high-level season. They’re down a quarterback, but if they make the right call under center, they could once again be special – and offer elite betting value to willing bettors.

Big 12 Conference Predictions

The Big 12 is insane. Positively, absolutely insane. It has legitimately 6-8 teams with title aspirations and over half of this conference will probably finish with a winning record.

There were a ton of tight finishes within the Big 12 last year, and we may very well be headed for even more in 2025. Due to that, I think betting on a favorite as thin as Utah feels like a mistake.

I’m not even that interested in Kansas State. Don’t get me wrong, both of those teams have good odds, have solid talent, and are capable of making me look silly. But anytime you make NCAAF picks, you need to look for value and try to project things that most people don’t see.

You can also just trust in quarterback talent. I tend to believe in TCU’s Josh Hoover, and in a conference where more than a couple of teams either don’t have a great quarterback or have a new one, consistency and continuity may win the day.

Hoover balled out last year. Heck, he balled out the last two years. TCU was amazing on offense, and they could be even better with him calling the shots once again. I’m betting on that, and I’m betting on an already rock solid Horned Frogs roster getting better around their star passer, too.

Bet: TCU Horned Frogs (+900)

The Best Big 12 Win Total Bets

• TCU Horned Frogs Over 6.5 Wins (-155)
• BYU Cougars Over 6.5 Wins (-115)

I’m like Garth Brooks, y’all. Instead of friends in low places, I’ve got bets with low unders. Okay, that was terrible. I’ll see myself out.

But really, why do we need to chase plus money or go after lofty bets that don’t have much evidence to support them? Give me the low totals and I went leapfrog over them myself.

Let’s start with TCU, who I literally just picked to win the Big 12. Naturally, I also love them to get 7+ wins. But even if they can’t make me look really smart, then maybe they can at least have a winning record for the second year in a row. It’s not asking much.

There’s also BYU, who simply need to pick the right guy to run their offense. Everything else is there for the Cougars to enjoy at least moderate success in 2025 – if not contend for the Big 12 title.

I’m not picking BYU to do that. Losing a good quarterback isn’t nothing, after all. But they don’t need to do much to win us some cash. They just need to have a respectable season and win seven games. Seeing as they’re immensely talented, supremely balanced, and have hit the Over on this total in 17 of the last 19 seasons, the best handicappers in the world probably agree with me that this is a great bet.

Bet: TCU Horned Frogs Over 6.5 Wins (-155), BYU Cougars Over 6.5 Wins (-115)

Which Big 12 Teams Will Make the Playoffs?

It’s odd how some of the betting odds are set up in this conference. Some teams barely have good odds to contend in the Big 12, and yet their odds to make the playoffs are better or not that far off.

Whatever the case, this is a tough conference to win, so even if a team fails, they still might be pretty darn good. We saw that last year, as the Big 12 obviously only had one champion, but three teams won 11 games within the conference and eight had 8+ wins.

Due to that, I think we’re looking at 2-3 teams cracking the playoffs out of the Big 12. I naturally have to enter my surprise champion pick (TCU), but I also think Arizona State will be really good again, and Kansas State is one of the top contenders I believe could live up to the hype.

Bet: Kansas State Wildcats (+375), Arizona State Sun Devils (+400), and TCU Horned Frogs (+775)

Big 12 Conference Winners

The following is a list of the most recent Big 12 Conference football winners: